As a fan of the John Wick movies, Wick is Pain is the perfect behind-the-scenes look at the making of these incredible action movies. In this documentary, you not only learn about the relationship between Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski but also how the first John Wick was almost not made. Running over a little more than 2 hours, Wick is Pain gives the audience enough insight into the John Wick universe that will make you see the series in a different light. Audience members will appreciate everything that has gone into making these movies and get excited for what is to come. 

The documentary begins by showcasing how Chad Stahelski became involved in martial arts and trained with Brandon Lee at the Inosanto Academy. We learn about their friendship and how Chad ended up working with Brandon in the 1994 movie The Crow. We see how working on this movie led to more opportunities for Chad and how he was hired to work on a “sci-fi” film that ended up being The Matrix. On The Matrix, Chad was the stunt double for Keanu Reeves, and this is how their friendship began. 

As the documentary unfolds, we see that Chad starts working with David Leitch, and together they form an action design company called 87Eleven. Together, they create pre-visualization shorts of stunts and start incorporating different Martial Arts disciplines that they learned into their shorts. They soon become known for these shorts, and their careers start building. 

The meat of the documentary is how John Wick came to be. Chad and David are first-time directors, and they faced many hurdles just getting the movie made. The team faced finance issues, fighting amongst themselves, fighting with the studio on how John should look, marital issues, and the biggest fight was the death of the puppy. We learn that the number one rule in Hollywood is that you do not kill a dog. Yes, this moment is hard to watch, and it is the spark that puts the movie in motion, but the studio heads did not want this to happen. 

Throughout the documentary Wick is Pain, we see how studios kept passing on the film. It was not until Fantastic Fest that the movie found its legs. Studios were not interested in this movie, but after the hype from that screening, studios wanted the movie. The expansion of the John Wick Universe came in John Wick 2, and the success of that made stars start reaching out to Keanu and Chad about being involved in the movie. It is awesome to see how some of these actors asked to be in the movie and to see them train for their parts.

Wick is Pain can be compared to the Marvel Studios: Assembled series. As with that series, we get a great look into the making of the first film from day one to the premiere. It is great to see how movies like this are created and how they inspire other filmmakers to take risks and maybe copy a scene or two. The creation of “Gun-fu” is one of the greatest accomplishments of the John Wick series, along with the insane action that is portrayed on screen. 

Final Thoughts: Wick is Pain is the perfect behind-the-scenes look at the making of these incredible action movies. Fans will learn how The Crow and The Matrix movies have a connection to John Wick and helped create the John Wick Universe. Along with learning more about the movie, we also get a look at the hard work and determination Keanu Reeves had in training for his role. Wick is Pain is the perfect companion to the John Wick movies and should be watched by all fans of the series. 

Kid-Friendly: The documentary covers a lot of the behind-the-scenes action of the movie and is pretty unfiltered. There is a lot of cursing in the movie, and one section is dedicated to Keanu Reeves saying the “F-word”. It is great to see how the movies were created, but the language might be an issue for some parents.

Violence: Wick is Pain pulls the curtain behind the making of these movies, and the documentary shows how some of the action sequences are filmed. Viewers not only see how the scenes are rehearsed but also get to see the finished product.

Wick Is Pain is the incredible true story behind the John Wick franchise, starring Keanu Reeves. What began as an independent film—facing numerous obstacles, including financing challenges, before Lionsgate acquired it in 2014—quickly evolved into a global phenomenon that redefined the action genre and launched three megahit sequels. Join Keanu Reeves, director Chad Stahelski, and the extended Wick cast and crew as they go behind the scenes of this billion-dollar franchise that almost never happened.